I'll Show You The Stars
by boop-oop-ee-doo
Summary: One-shot,Pre AoU. 16-Year old Wanda falls gravely ill on the streets of Novi Grad. After going to great lengths to get her well again, Pietro promises to take Wanda stargazing. He swears that one day, his sister will see brighter stars. Minor ScarletVision at the end. Slightly ties in with my other fic, 'Nothing is Impossible'.


AN: This one-shot is inspired by a story Wanda tells to Vision in my other fic, 'Nothing is Impossible', about she and Pietro stargazing. Enjoy.

* * *

Sixteen year-old Wanda Maximoff pulled her thin jacket about her more tightly, shivering. She and her twin brother, Pietro, were recent runaways from the failing Sokovian Foster Care system. They were returning from a day of begging and pick-pocketing, to the hovel they currently called home. Wanda squeezed through the too small entrance.

"I should have stayed in Today, Pietro. You know how easily I fall ill when it is cold.."

"Nonsense, Sister" Pietro removed his own jacket, draping it around Wanda's shoulders. He then moved to try block any openings that could let a draft into the building. Unfortunately, there were many of those. "We just need to get you _incalzit. Nu va faceti griji."_

"I hope you are right.."

* * *

The following morning, Wanda had developed a sniffle, and a slight cough. So, Pietro left her home for the day. Her condition hadn't improved much when he returned, but he was not worried.

He tucked Wanda into their makeshift bed, covering her with a large red blanket he had swiped from a market stall.

"Just a common cold. In a few days, you will be good as new.."

"Pietro.."

"Good as new" Pietro repeated stubbornly.

* * *

Wanda wasn't good as new. Pietro tried bringing her lemons, garlic, oranges, any natural remedies he could think of. On the fourth day, Wanda had developed a fever. Her condition had only continued to deteriorate since then.

Pietro sat at his sister's side, clutching her hand. Her lungs crackled with the gunk trapped within them, each breath becoming more of an effort.

Pietro's earlier determination not to panic with stone-cold dread. Wanda needed medicine- antibiotics. That much was obvious. Those drugs were usually closely watched, only available with a prescription, which would require a risky Doctor's visit, possibly putting them back in the hands of the State. The only other option was to bribe the Pharmacy. So, what he needed was money. Quite a bit of money, more than was usually obtainable for the average Pickpocket.

Getting what Wanda needed seemed to be beyond him.. But he could not lose his sister. She was the only thing of value left to him in this world.

"Wanda.. Perhaps.. Perhaps we need to go back.."

"No.." said Wanda weakly, coughing. "We are not going back to the foster home. They hurt you.."

"You need medicine" said Pietro. "Maybe it will be different.. we might get nice ones.."

"No.. No.. we can't.." She erupted in a fit of coughs.

"Alright" Pietro held her, rubbing her back. "We will find another way.."

* * *

As he set out into the streets of Novi Grad the following day, Pietro Maximoff was a man on a mission. While he was usually quite selective about who he pickpocketed, going for easy targets, he couldn't afford to do so today. He needed cash, and he needed it now.

Today, his targets were as wide-ranging as, well, anyone who got too close to him. A few people gave him strange looks, but he managed to remain undetected. He headed for home, thinking he may almost have enough. As he reached the impoverished street he and Wanda called home, Pietro spotted a rather well off woman who seemed as though she was trying to pass by as quickly as possible.

Pietro looked at the woman, then glanced towards home. He knew Wanda disliked the fact that they had to steal. So, she usually stuck more to begging. Well, as his efforts Today were for Wanda's benefit, Pietro thought, why not try her way first?

He ruffled his hair, trying to look extra dishevelled, and made his way towards the Woman.

" _Scuza-ma, Domnisoara"_ Pietro spoke, and the Woman looked quite horrified. "My sister is ill. She needs medicine. If you could spare a few.."

The Woman didn't answer, instead looking at Pietro as though he was something unpleasant she had stepped in, and continued on her way.

So, Pietro stole the purse out of her bag.. But, let nobody say that Pietro Maximoff had not at least tried the slightly less disreputable method first. Pietro checked his takings for the day, then grinned and ran for the nearest Pharmacy.

* * *

"Wanda!" Pietro grinned when he returned to their hovel, clutching a bottle of pills, "Wanda, I got your medicine!"

"That.. that's good.." Wanda groaned from the bed. Pietro rushed to her side, with one of the pills and a cup of clean water.

"Sit up, Sister.." He pulled her up to lean against him, placing the pill in her mouth and helping her sip the water. "You must take this."

With some effort, Wanda managed to swallow it, and drink the rest of the water Pietro offered.

"Thank you, Pietro." She remained leaning against his shoulder.

"Everything will be alright now. When you are well, and the warm weather comes, we will go outside the city and go stargazing."

"Pietro, you hate stargazing."

"This is true. But you love it."

* * *

True to his word, when the Sokovian nights grew warmer, Pietro made his plans. An hour or two before Sunset, he located Wanda, pulling up beside her on a bicycle.

"Wanda, hop on!" He patted the handlebars.

"Pietro, where did you get that bike?" Wanda frowned.

"Uh.. _Crezi ca am imprumutat-o?"_

"Pietro, you shouldn't steal the big things. It's going to get you in trouble."

"I will return it later, just hop on. We are going stargazing."

"We are?" Wanda's expression softened, and she smiled.

"Of course. I promised."

Wanda grinned and perched herself on the bike's handlebars, her joyful laughter catching in the air as Pietro began cycling towards the city's edge.

* * *

That night, Wanda and Pietro lay in a patch of grass somewhere outside Novi Grad, gazing up at the starry sky. Wanda was quite enraptured, but Pietro was picking at the grass, clearly bored.

"You are not enjoying this at all, are you?" She asked him.

"This is.. a little too slow a pastime for me. But I can endure it for you." Pietro stood, throwing his arms wide. "One day, Sister, we will travel, and gaze at even brighter stars together."

Wanda sat up, chuckling.

"You think so?" It was a nice thought, but the life they lived was a difficult one to break out of, especially in Sokovia.

"I know so. You should trust me, I am your big brother."

"Only by twelve minutes."

"I gained a lot of maturity in those twelve minutes."

After a pause, they both burst out laughing.

* * *

Years later, Wanda Maximoff did lay under a different sky, with much brighter stars. Only now, she was wrapped in the arms of The Vision, and her brother was just a treasured memory.

Except.. one star shone just a little bit brighter than the others, and it flickered, almost like it was winking at her. A single tear escaped Wanda's eye. Vision caught it as it trickled down her cheek.

"Wanda, are you alright?"

Wanda smiled, and kissed him.

"I am now."

 _Thank You, Pietro._

* * *

 **Translations:**

 _incalzit. Nu va faceti griji.:_ Warmed up. Don't worry.

 _Scuza-ma, Domnisoara:_ Excuse me, Miss.

 _Crezi ca am imprumutat-o?:_ Would you believe that I borrowed it?


End file.
